I'll See You Around
by aolande1
Summary: "She knew he would be back eventually, but his return, up until now, had always been just a thought."
1. Chapter 1

Unfortunately, I do not own Rookie Blue.

This one came to me because of all the FF I've been reading where Sam is considering going back to the drug squad. So this takes place in the future as if he did indeed leave and do an undercover assignment. I'm seeing a few chapters for this one already! As always, don't hesitate to review. I love hearing from you guys!

* * *

"Hey Trace. Thanks for picking me up," Andy said as she got into Traci's car. "I can't believe it snowed last night!"

"I know it seems so early for the first snow of the season," Traci agreed pulling out into traffic. "You should have seen the look on Leo's face when he woke up this morning. I think he forgot what snow looked like."

"I hope people remember how to drive on the snowy streets. If not I see a lot of traffic accidents in our near future," Andy said only half joking.

"Yeah, no kidding. I'm glad I'm not on desk duty anymore, but on days like this, it would be nice to stay inside away from all the chaos," Traci added as she pulled in to the parking lot at the station.

Both women got out of the car, grabbed their bags and headed for the warm building. As they walked in, they passed by quite a few cops clearing off the windshields of their cruisers.

"So how's the new place coming along?" Traci asked Andy as they headed into the building.

"It's coming along great. I finally finished painting my bedroom and my new living room furniture came over the weekend. I love it! I'm having so much fun decorating," Andy told her friend through a huge smile. Andy had backed out of living with Luke at the last second. Literally the last second. She had called him the night before they were supposed to move their stuff into the house and told him that she couldn't do it. She had been sweet and apologetic but the relationship still ended. There wasn't bad blood between the two of them, but their friendship wasn't what it used to be. Andy was okay with that though. She blamed herself. She should have never said yes to him in the first place.

"That's great. I'm so happy you found a place that suits you perfectly. I can't wait until you finish it up so we can have your house warming party," Traci said as they walked into the locker room.

"It will be soon. Everything is coming together. I couldn't be happier. Life's good, it really is," Andy said through a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

**_

* * *

_**

"Hey, did you guys hear?" Dov asked Andy and Traci as he fell into step with them en route to the parade room. "Apparently Best has some big news for everyone."

"Really? No I haven't heard anything," Traci said shaking her head.

"Any idea what it's about?" Andy asked as they walked into the room.

"Nope. But we're about to find out," Dov said anxiously as he took his seat next to Chris.

Andy and Traci also sat down and waited for Best to start talking. Even though they hadn't been rookies for awhile now, the five of them still sat in the first row. They assumed they wouldn't fully shed their rookie titles until a new batch came to the Fifteen.

As Best walked in the room became quiet. "So I take it everyone noticed it's snowing outside today. I hope everyone got here safely. The streets are going to be a mess today with people adjusting to the weather. We're really going to have to be on top of our game. Remember to stay calm and remain patient," Best finished looking around the room. "On a lighter note, I have some exciting news. Our buddy Officer Swarek will be joining us again. He'll be back in uniform in the next few days. I got word from Guns and Gangs that he finished his assignment last night. They are sending him back to us," Best informed the group of officers.

The room erupted with applause. Everyone loved Sam Swarek and missed him while he was away doing an undercover operation. He had been gone for six months. He left on good terms. Everyone knew his heart was with the Guns and Gangs squad so when a position opened up he didn't hesitate to take it. Or at least that was the story everyone was given. The only person who knew the real story was the one cop in the room that was not cheering with excitement.

"Alright!" Oliver shouted.

"It's about time he gets his ass back here," Noelle added as the clapping died down.

"Yes," Best said bringing order back to the room. "So we are all excited for his return. But we have jobs to do people. Let's get out there and do them! Serve, protect and stay warm," he finished before exiting the room.

Andy was as white as a ghost and as still as a stone. Her entire body froze and her stomach plummeted at Best's words. Sam was coming back. He had been gone for six months. Six. She knew he would be back eventually, but his return, up until now, had always been just a thought. Now it was here. She hadn't spoken to Sam since the night before he left. She had just recently been able to get through a day without thinking about him. She was just putting her life back together. Everything was on the right track. And now the one person who could mess it up was going to be back in her life in a matter of days. Andy felt like she was going to pass out.

She was brought out of her thoughts by Traci shaking her shoulder lightly. "Andy. Andy, sweetheart. Hey, are you alright?" She asked with a worried tone and expression.

Andy looked around the room. It was empty. She realized she hadn't even heard Best dismiss everyone. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. I'm fine," Andy said weakly still staring straight ahead.

Traci wasn't buying it. "Andy, you don't look alright. You are completely pale and your hands are freezing," she said taking her friend's hands in hers. Traci knew Andy wasn't alright after hearing the news they had just heard. She had been the one to console Andy after Sam left. She had been the one to give Andy a place to stay after she told Luke no to moving in. She watched her friend fall apart and she was right there to pick up the pieces afterwards. No, Andy was definitely not okay right now. She couldn't be.

"I'm fine. I'm just in shock," Andy returned finally looking at her friend.

"Okay well I'll let it go for now. You're not going to get away without talking about this though. I won't let you. I'm here. You know that," Traci said rubbing her hand gently across Andy's back.

"I know. Thanks, Traci," Andy said forcing a smile for her friend.

"C'mon we're riding together today," Traci said to Andy as she stood up.

Andy didn't know how she managed to get her things and make it out to the cruiser. She also didn't know how she was going to do her job today. The only thought that kept her going was that he wasn't back yet. She had time to get herself together before he came charging back into her life. She tried to imagine what it would be like to see his face after all this time, but she quickly pushed that thought aside, as the mere thought of it made her dizzy.

* * *

_And scene! I know you guys are going to hate me for that ending but I promise I will update this soon! Any thoughts?_


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Rookie Blue.

Thank you guys for all the wonderful reviews about this story! I'm so glad ya'll are liking it.

Here's chapter 2! I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And of course, let me know what you think when you are done!

* * *

Somehow, she was able to make it through her shift. It was a slow day which she was thankful for. She was also thankful that she was paired with Traci. Traci knew her inside and out, and without her friend's support today, she probably would have crumbled. Traci didn't expect a whole lot from her during shift. She took the lead on most of their calls while Andy tried her hardest to stay focused on the job. Traci also knew not to push her into talking. It's not that she didn't want to talk, she just didn't know what to say.

Andy spent the majority of the shift in a daze. She felt completely disoriented. She felt as if she was trapped in a deep pool of water doing everything she could to simply stay afloat. She couldn't wait for her shift to end. She needed to be alone. She was tired of faking a strong exterior around her colleagues when inside she knew she was barely holding on. She needed to get away from work before she was no longer able to keep it together.

When she got back to her apartment she decided to take a shower. She needed to clear her head and she couldn't think of a better way to do so. A shower always made her feel better after a tough day and today had been her toughest day in six months. She wanted and needed to wash it away.

After she showered she changed into some fresh sweats and a tee-shirt before heading to her kitchen. She hadn't eaten anything all day. She couldn't. She wasn't hungry. Her stomach was in knots and putting food into it would only make it worse.

She had no idea what to do. _Maybe being alone isn't the best idea, _she thought. She needed to find a way to keep her mind occupied. She was too exhausted to go anywhere and really wasn't in the mood to watch television. She figured she could try going to sleep but knew that there was no chance of that. She considered taking a sleeping pill to ease her mind, but decided against it and went with a bottle of scotch instead. She swore off drinking away her pain a few months ago, but figured tonight she'd make an exception.

She grabbed the bottle out of the cabinet and a glass out of the dishwasher and took her pity party to the couch. She opened the bottle, filled the glass with an adequate amount of liquor, and leaned back. She couldn't put off thinking about him any longer.

She knew exactly how long he had been gone. It had been six months and three days. She told herself months before that she would stop counting, but she never did. Subconsciously, she always kept track. In the last couple months she had barely given him a thought, but he was never completely out of her mind. Whenever she would pass a man that looked like him on the street, she would always allow herself a quick double take. Whenever she heard his name brought up in conversation she couldn't help but glance over. Everyone knew him leaving was hard on her. He was her training officer and the two of them had grown close. That was no secret. The other officers knew the two of them were friends. However, no one knew how hard it actually was for her to say goodbye to him. No one knew how hard him leaving really was for her.

As she sipped her drink, she started thinking about the night he told her that a spot had opened up in Guns and Gangs. She remembered their conversation like it happened yesterday.

"_Sam, what are you doing here? It's after midnight_?_"_

"_I know, McNally. Can I come in?"_

"_Yeah, of course. Come in."_

She remembered how he brushed right past her into her living room. Her place was a mess with packing boxes scattered everywhere. She remembered how anxious he seemed. She could tell something was on his mind from the moment she took in his appearance outside of her door.

"_What's going on? Is everything okay?"_

"_I don't know."_

"_Sam, talk to me. Maybe I can help."_

"_A spot with the Guns and Gangs squad has opened up. They want me to go back undercover."_

His words hit her as if he had just punched her in the gut. She always knew he would end up being assigned to another undercover operation. Working undercover was his passion and he was great at it. He had told her from the beginning he was only working the streets until something opened up. She didn't want to show him how upset she was at his news. She knew as his friend and partner that she needed to be happy for him.

"_Sam, that's great. That's what you want, right? What you've been waiting for this whole time?"_

"_Yeah, I thought so. I just don't know now." _

"_What do you mean?" _

"_I've been away from UC work for so long now, I'm not sure I want to do it anymore."_

"_When do they need an answer by?"_

"_Next week."_

"_Sam, you're great at undercover work. You shouldn't pass up this opportunity."_

"_I know I am. Me being good at it isn't the issue."_

"_Then what is? Sam, I don't know what you want me to say?"_

She knew what he was doing. He was giving her a chance to tell him how she felt. He was giving her a chance to tell him not to go. He was asking her to make his decision for him. Her heart was screaming at her to tell him to turn down the offer. To stay with her. Be with her. Her head was spinning. She was with Luke. She was about to move in with Luke. How could she tell him to stay?

"_I want you to tell me not to go!"_

"_I can't do that."_

"_Why?"_

"_It wouldn't be fair to you."_

"_How would it not be fair to me?"_

"_Sam, you're asking me to tell you to turn down a great opportunity, to put your career on hold. And for what? Me? I'm moving in with Luke in less than a week!"_

She remembered the way his expression dropped in disappointment. He wanted her to tell him to stay as much as she wanted to tell him to stay. But she couldn't. She couldn't ask him to put his entire life on hold for her when she had nothing to give him in return.

"_Okay. Fine. I just had to be sure."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Don't be sorry, Andy. You have nothing to apologize for. I'll see you tomorrow."_

"_Sam…"_

"_What?"_

"_Nothing. I'll see you tomorrow."_

That night was the first night she had cried herself to sleep since her mother had left fourteen years before. She had just pushed the only man she had ever been in love with out of her life. Why couldn't she have just told him how she felt? She was such a coward. She was so afraid of getting hurt and putting her heart on the line, that she single-handedly destroyed the one relationship she never wanted to lose. She didn't believe in regrets, but not telling Sam to stay that night was the biggest mistake she had ever made.

As she poured herself another drink she started thinking about the last conversation she had with him. It took place the night before he left to go undercover. She couldn't let him leave without at least saying goodbye. On the walk over to his house she realized she couldn't let him go. She thought about everything they had been through and she realized she wasn't willing to live without him. She told herself she would work things out with Luke later, and that her main priority needed to be making sure Sam didn't leave.

"_McNally, what are you doing here?"_

"_Don't go."_

"_What?"_

"_Don't go. Don't take the job. I know I told you I was okay with you leaving, but I'm not. I know it took me awhile to realize it, but I don't want you to go. You can't leave me. I can't live, eight months, a year, whatever, without you."_

"_Andy I…"_

"_Please, Sam. I know I have no right to ask you to stay and I can't make you any promises, but I can't just let you leave. I need you. Will you stay? For me?"_

She couldn't believe those words had just come out of her mouth. She had never been good at expressing her feelings or making herself vulnerable. But she wanted him to stay and if that meant lowering her walls then that's what she would do. She remembered how he was staring at her out on the porch. She hadn't even waited to get inside before she ambushed him. They were standing there facing each other. Shock in his eyes, desperation in hers.

"_It's too late. Andy, I can't. I already told them I'm in. I can't back out now. I have to go."_

"_Okay. Yeah, alright. I get it. You have to go. I know."_

She could barely form a sentence after he told her she was too late. She waited too long. He was going and there was nothing she could do about it. There was nothing he could do about it. He had accepted the job and there was no backing out. Even if he wanted to, she knew he couldn't.

"_Andy…"_

"_No, it's okay, Sam. You have to leave, it's your job. I really do understand."_

"_It'll only be for a few months."_

"_Yeah. Goodbye, Sam."_

"_Goodbye, Andy."_

She poured herself another drink through teary eyes. She hadn't thought about that night since it happened. She had tried to get him to stay, but he left. Maybe if she had told him that she loved him things would have been different. How was she supposed to face him knowing that during their last conversation she practically poured her heart out, to no avail, and ran away?

She had no idea what tomorrow would bring. There was so much left unspoken between the two of them. Maybe things would be fine. Maybe things would go back to normal and they could forget the mess they made before he left. Yeah right. Who was she kidding? Her relationship with Sam had always been disheveled. And seeing as he was coming back, things were only going to get worse. The simple life she had been living for the past few months was about to change dramatically. Accepting that, she drifted into unconsciousness with a glass in her hand and Sam in her thoughts.

* * *

_What'd you guys think? _

_Until next time! _


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Rookie Blue.

Thank you so much for all the reviews, alerts and favorites on this story. It means the world to me!

Here's chapter 3!

I hope you guys enjoy it and please let me know what you guys think when you are done!

* * *

Andy arrived at the station a little earlier than she usually did. She had turned down a ride from Traci knowing that the walk to work would give her time to think and prepare herself. She changed quickly and was already dressed by the time Traci showed up.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Traci asked walking past her locker and directly over to where she stood in front of the mirror.

"I'm alright. How are you?" Andy returned looking at her friend through the mirror.

"Not bad. Did you get any sleep last night?" Traci asked not because she looked tired but because she knew sleep was probably the last thing on Andy's mind last night.

"Not really, no. I passed out on the couch and have a terrible neck ache now," Andy explained rubbing her hand behind her neck.

"Passed out?" Traci asked heading over to her locker.

"I may have had a little too much to drink last night," Andy said emphasizing the word little.

"Well I don't blame you," Traci said as she finished getting dressed and shoved her bag into her locker. "You ready?"

Andy took a deep breath. "Ready as I'll ever be," she replied as the two of them walked out of the locker room.

As they headed to the parade room to hear their assignments for the day, they ran into Dov who was exciting the men's room as they passed.

"Hey, you guys hear? Swarek is back. I heard Oliver and Jerry talking about him this morning," he said as they walked down the hallway.

"Oh, that's great. Will he be on the streets today?" Traci asked after looking over at Andy and seeing that she was lost in her own thoughts.

"I don't think so. I think Shaw said he had to finish up a few briefings with Guns and Gangs first," he said as he entered the parade room.

Traci didn't follow him in and instead grabbed Andy's arm and stopped her outside the room. "You alright, you going to be okay?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Yeah I'll be fine. It's just all becoming so real now. Him being back," she said glancing around making sure no one else was listening to their conversation.

"Yeah. Remember, if you need anything, you let me know," Traci said.

"I will," Andy replied before walking into the parade room.

Andy was paired with Noelle today. She hadn't been paired with Noelle in a couple of weeks and was glad that she was today. Noelle was generally quiet in the car and Andy was in no mood to talk. She met Noelle outside and climbed in the car after exchanging a friendly smile with her.

About an hour into their shift Noelle broke the silence. "You're quiet today," she said glancing over at Andy.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night," Andy said dryly keeping her eyes straight ahead.

"Did that have anything to do with Swarek being back?" Noelle asked knowingly.

Andy shot a glance over to Noelle and swallowed hard. "No, I uh, had too much coffee yesterday and just couldn't' fall asleep," Andy lied. She could tell Noelle wasn't buying one word of what she was saying. She wasn't going to open up to Noelle. She had worked with the woman for over a year now, but she wouldn't really consider her a friend and she had no intention of boring her with her personal problems.

Noelle sighed and shifted in her seat. "Andy, look I know we aren't exactly close, but if you want to talk I have been told I'm a pretty good listener," she offered giving Andy a chance to open up.

Andy didn't say anything. She knew she could trust Noelle, but she wasn't comfortable having a conversation about Sam with one of his best friends.

"I know the two of you were close. And by close, I mean more than just partners," she said looking over at Andy.

Andy turned swiftly to face her, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

"Calm down. I'm not saying I know anything more than that. Sam would never really tell me what the deal was with you two, but I'm not blind. You guys weren't exactly good at hiding the way you felt about each other," she explained keeping her eyes on the road.

Andy was at a total loss for words. Not only because Noelle was talking about her and Sam, but because she thought Traci was the only one who knew that something had been going on between her and Sam. She had no idea it was that obvious. Now Andy wanted to say something. But what the hell was she supposed to say?

"Alright. You don't want to talk. I get it. We're all going to go to the Penny later to celebrate Sam being back. You should come, if you want," she explained shifting back so her body was no longer turned towards Andy.

"Yeah, I might. Thanks for letting me know," Andy said hoping Noelle wouldn't catch the panic in her voice. If she had any faith that she could be calm enough around him to go to the Penny and welcome him back, she would have found him already. _Hey Sam, how's it going? Good to have you back. How are things? _Yeah, right. She was absolutely _not_ going to the Penny.

**_

* * *

_**

It felt so good to be back. To be home. He used to love doing undercover assignments. He lived for them. But he had decided during this last operation that he would give up undercover work and stick to working the streets. He wasn't cut out for it anymore. When he was younger going undercover had been easy. Pretending to be someone else was both challenging and fun. Being away from his friends and Sarah was never easy, but it was something he could deal with. During his previous undercover assignments he always stayed focused on the job. He never thought about his real life. He became his alias. He really struggled with doing that this time around. He found himself constantly wishing to be back at the division living his life. It was almost unbearable how much he missed his life during the last six months. He was happy he had one last go at it, but knew that he wouldn't be of any value to the undercover team anymore.

He had been back for almost 48 hours and had spent the majority of that time being debriefed by the higher-ups of the Guns and Gangs squad. After everything was concluded over there he headed to Best's office to check in with him. It felt good sitting in front of the Sergeant again. It helped that Frank was also a great friend. In fact, Frank was the first friend he was able to talk to.

As he walked out of Best's office he heard two very familiar voices to his left.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" Oliver shouted loud enough for Sam to hear.

"Gee, Ollie. I think that good looking guy looks a lot like our old friend Swarek," Jerry added.

"It can't be, this guy looks about ten years older than I remember Swarek being," Oliver said as Sam got closer.

"Ha ha. Real funny guys," Sam returned sarcastically with a huge grin on his face.

"Hey Sammy! How ya been? It's good to see you," Jerry said as he threw his arms around his friend and patted his back.

"Good, good. It's great to see you guys too. I hope you haven't missed me too much," Sam said looking in between Jerry and Oliver.

"It's good to have you back, Sam. It hasn't been the same without you," Oliver said as he wrapped Sam in a big bear hug.

"I can't believe you're finally back," Jerry added as the group of them stepped out of the way so the other officers could get around them.

"I know. I hope you guys didn't shed too many tears while I was away," Sam added laughing out loud.

"Not a chance, my friend," Oliver said shaking his head.

"So what's new? How are things at the good ole' Fifteen division?" Sam asked shifting his eyes through the room full of cops.

"Things are good. You didn't miss anything too exciting," Jerry said.

"Yep, just been kicking ass and taking names. You know, what we do best around here," Oliver said making all three of them laugh.

It felt so good to joke with his friends again. Sam hadn't realized how much he missed these guys until now. He inhaled deeply and took in his surroundings. He was finally home, surrounded by his family.

As he continued to scan the room he saw her. She was walking in with Noelle and they were laughing about something. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. And that smile. Man had he missed that smile while he was away. She wore her uniform just has good as she always did with her hair tied back loosely in a bun. He couldn't help but stare as she walked in the direction of the locker rooms. She had always taken his breath away and today was no different. He may have been gone for six months but his body didn't forget how to respond at the sight of Andy McNally.

He returned his attention to his friends who were both smiling at him, with arms crossed. "What?" he asked not sure why they were looking at him the way they were.

Oliver shook his head and gave his friend a pat on the arm. "I have to get back to work. It really is good to have you back, man. I'll see you guys at the Penny tonight," he said smiling and walking off.

Sam turned back to face Jerry. "Are you going to rush off too?" he asked.

"Well I do have some work to get done and let's face it Sammy, I don't think I'm the one you want to be talking to right now. Don't worry, I'm not offended," he laughed as he walked off.

_Damn. How long was I staring at McNally? _he thought as he watched Jerry walk into his office. He shook it off. It's not like his friends didn't know how he felt about her. He may have been gone for awhile but it's not like anything had changed. He didn't' have to say anything for them to know that.

**_

* * *

_**

It had already been a long day and she had yet to even start her paperwork. As she sat on a bench in the locker room she took off her vest and put on her tie. She went to the sink to wash her face off hoping to wake up a little bit. She took a deep breath while looking at herself in the mirror and turned to head out of the room. As she excited and turned the corner to head back to her desk she couldn't help but notice the man heading straight for her.

"Hey, McNally," Sam said as he approached her. She couldn't help but notice the way his face lit up when he saw her.

"Hey. Hi, you're back," she said in between breaths. She hoped he wouldn't notice how nervous she was. She had no idea what to say to him. She had thought about what it would be like to see him, but of course she hadn't given much thought to what she would say to him when it happened.

"Yeah. Yeah I got in yesterday," he said still smiling. He ran his eyes over her body. It had been too long since he had been this close to her.

"It's uh…it's good to see you," she said glancing down at the floor momentarily to avoid his eyes. She knew that if she looked into them for too long she wouldn't be able to look away.

"Thanks, you too," he returned softly. She could hear the honesty in his voice, see it in his eyes. She had missed the warm tingly feeling he elicited in her. It felt good, but scared the hell out of her.

Andy didn't say anything back. She wasn't sure what to say. It had been so long since they had spoken she almost didn't remember how to speak to him. She remembered their last conversation and all but cringed at the thought of it. She knew they would have to talk about that soon. Especially since they were probably going to be working together again. She was pulled out of her thoughts as Sam spoke up again.

"Well I have to get going. I got to meet with Best, but I think everyone is heading to the Penny tonight to, ya know, celebrate me being back," he said as he rolled his eyes. "You should come," he insisted giving her his lopsided smile.

"Okay, yeah. I might stop by," she said shaking her head in agreement and forcing a smile.

"Okay," he said nodding his head.

"See you later," she said glancing at his eyes and walking past him.

_Great, Andy. Could you have made that any more awkward? _she thought as she walked to her desk. That was not how she imagined their first conversation going, but she figured it could have been worse. She hadn't expected to be so tongue-tied. She shook it off and tried to focus on her paperwork. The sooner she got it done the sooner she could get away.

**_

* * *

_**

Sam arrived at the Penny a little later than he had planned. Everyone was already there when he walked through the door. His closest friends greeted him loudly with their shouts and applause. He smiled and waved it off as he walked to where they stood. Jerry handed him a beer as he gave Noelle a hug.

He was the center of attention for awhile as different cops he had known for years came up to welcome him back. He talked and laughed with them as they caught up on lost time. He glanced down at his watch and couldn't believe how late it had gotten. He realized he hadn't said hi to his former rookies yet and headed to where Chirs and Dov were sitting.

"Hey, rooks," he said sliding into one of the empty stools at their table.

They both looked up. "Hey Swarek, been awhile. Good to have you back," Dov said as he shook his hand.

"Good to see you, man," Chris added also shaking his hand.

"Thanks, guys. So how's things? I see you guys didn't get yourselves into too much trouble while I was away," he said sarcastically.

"Nope, all's good here, sir," Chris said looking over to Dov.

"Yep, just catching bad guys. You know how it is," Dov said before waving the bartender over to order another beer.

"Glad to hear it. You guys know if McNally is coming out tonight?" He realized he probably shouldn't be asking them, and that they'd probably figure the only reason he even bothered talking to them was to ask about her, but he figured if anyone knew where she was it would be her friends. And even though he was having a great time, he wanted to see her, and only her.

"I'm not sure. Last I saw her she was finishing up some paperwork at the station," Chris said.

"Alright, well you guys have fun tonight. And stay out of trouble," he said as he got up from their table.

"Thanks sir, you too," Dov added giving Sam a smile that said more than he wanted to hear.

Sam said goodbye to his friends with the excuse of wanting some sleep before his first shift back. He had no intention of going back to his place. He really thought she would have shown up tonight. He realized their previous conversation had been less than comfortable, but he figured she would still show up to welcome him back, maybe have a drink. So without really thinking about it he got in his truck and drove to where he knew she would be. If he knew anything about her, which he did, he figured she had probably freaked out about seeing him earlier. He knew it would be difficult for them to get back into the swing of things, so he was going to do everything he could to make it easier. This awkward tension they had going just wasn't going to cut it.

Pushing his thoughts aside, he jumped out of his truck and headed up the steps to the door that stood in front of him.

* * *

_I had to stop there since this chapter was getting pretty long...and i figured I'd leave ya guys awaiting more. I hope you liked it! Let me know!_


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own any part of Rookie Blue.

Here's chapter 4! I hope you guys like it and as always, please let me know what you guys think!

* * *

Sam took a deep breath and knocked on her door. He couldn't help but think back to the last time he had knocked on her door. He showed up at her apartment, in the middle of the night, and all but begged her to give him a reason to stay. But she didn't. No, instead she said that she was going to move in with Callaghan. Talk about a serious blow to a man's ego. But he didn't regret going to her that night. And obviously he had made an impression because a few nights later their roles were reversed. She showed up at his door, again in the middle of the night, and begged him not to leave. He remembered, very clearly, everything that she had said. He assumed she did too. It's not often you forget pouring your heart out to someone.

So that's where they had left things. They both, in not so many words, had finally admitted their feelings to each other. It's too bad their timing was horrible. It seems that's always the case though. You don't realize how badly you want something until its slipping away. He wondered if anything had changed for her in the last six months. He had no idea what she had been up to. But he was going to find out. Right now.

"Sam, hey," she said as she opened the door. He noticed the shock and fear in her eyes as only he could. He was glad to know that he could still read her.

"Hey, can I come in?" he asked her already starting to move forward. She wasn't going to give him no for an answer no matter how badly she might have wanted to.

"Yeah, come in," she said as she backed out of the doorway giving him space to walk past her. She closed the door behind her, lingering to take a deep breath before locking it and following him to her living room. _So much for not talking to Sam tonight…_

"You want something to drink?" she asked as she slowly joined him. He was standing in front of her fireplace staring at the pictures of her friends and family she had resting on the mantle.

"Yeah, that'd be great, thanks," he replied as he turned his head away from the picture of her and her dad he was looking at.

She came back with two beers and handed one to him before sitting next to him on her couch. She angled herself so she was facing him, propping her head up with her elbow that was placed on the top of the back cushion.

"So how's it feel, being back, being you?" she asked trying to avoid the awkward silence that was threatening to take over.

"Good. It's good to be home. I love working undercover, but it's hard being away from friends and family for so long. And besides, I'm way cooler than the jackass I portrayed for the last six months," he said with that goofy grin that always made her stomach do flips.

"I'm sure you are," she laughed and took a sip of her beer. "I couldn't imagine being away from the people I love. That would be really hard," she said glancing back to the photos on her fireplace.

"So I see you managed not to get into any serious trouble while I was away," he said breaking the silence that had overcome them both.

"Yeah, believe it or not, I managed to stay alive without you," she laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Well I'm glad," he said and took a sip of his beer. "Anything exciting happen while I was gone?"

"No, no not really," she answered. She probably sounded like an idiot. She was a cop. Obviously exciting stuff happened during the last six months. Problem was, all of the sudden, she couldn't remember a damn thing that happened. What was it with him constantly making her lose her train of thought?

"So how's your dad?" he asked changing the subject to something he knew she would have an answer for. He felt like they were playing 20 Questions, only he was the only one asking the questions.

"Good, he's doing great. He's going on nine months sober," she said not being able to help the smile that crept over her face.

"Wow, that's great! I'm glad to hear that," he said smiling back at her. He couldn't help but smile when she did. Her smile was contagious.

"Yeah I'm really proud of him," she said as she finished her beer. She noticed him do the same. "You want another one?" she asked already standing up and grabbing the bottle from him.

"Yeah, thanks," he replied as he watched her walk into the kitchen. He'd be the first to admit that his gaze probably lingered on her ass for too long, but who could blame him? She was gorgeous. And it had been way too long since his eyes had last taken in the sight of her.

As she walked into the kitchen she threw the empty bottles into the trash. She paused before going to her fridge. Her heart was pounding. She couldn't believe he was in her apartment. She really hoped he couldn't tell how anxious she was. She knew she was keeping her cool and engaging normally in their conversation, but she was panicking on the inside. She was glad he had come over though. She didn't expect it, but she was glad he was here. They needed to catch up and being alone while they did it was probably for the best. She knew they needed to talk about where they had left things, but for tonight she hoped they wouldn't have to go there. She was enjoying the light conversation they were having. She didn't want to screw it up with something neither one of them was ready to talk about. She took a deep breath, grabbed two beers and headed back out to the man in her living room.

"I like the new place," he said taking in his surroundings as she entered the room and handed him his beer.

"Thanks me too," she said as she sat back down on the couch. He could tell she was loosening up a little. "It's kind of perfect for me. Speaking of, how'd you find out where I live?" she asked curiously.

"I have my ways," he said smiling and raising his eyebrows. "Alright, I squeezed it out of Traci at the Penny tonight before I left," he admitted with a sigh.

"Putting that Sam Swarek charm to good use, I see," she said in a teasing manner.

He smirked, "Mhmm."

"I'll have to talk to her about that. I can't have her giving my address away to just anybody, now can I?" she asked as a wicked grin spread across her face.

Yep, she was definitely becoming more comfortable. "No that wouldn't be good. And McNally, I think we can both agree that I'm not just anybody," he said looking right at her and stressing the last word.

She shook her head in agreement and took a long swig of her drink. She really had calmed down a little bit. She had forgotten how natural it was to be around him. Actually, she was really starting to enjoy herself. She had missed talking to him. She had missed him.

"So I see you decided not to move in with Callaghan?" he asked shifting his gaze around her apartment.

"Yeah I couldn't do it. It was too big of a commitment and I wasn't ready. I don't know why I agreed in the first place," she said with a sigh. The fact that she bailed on Luke was something she didn't like to talk about very often. She was embarrassed and ashamed of herself for not following through and leading him on the way she did.

He smiled slightly at her words. "Well I'm sorry."

"Oh I'm sure you are," she said sarcastically. "But thanks."

He watched her take another sip of her beer. _God she's beautiful_, he thought as he stared at her. She caught his gaze as she lowered her beer and held it. It took everything inside of him to stay seated where he was. He wanted so badly to touch her. To be close to her.

"It's good to see you, Andy," he said holding his eyes on hers.

"You too, Sam. It's good to have you back," she returned.

"You mean that?" he asked her.

She nodded, "Yeah of course I do. You're my partner. A part of me was missing without you." The weight of her words didn't escape her. A part of her was missing without him. A part of her heart. The part of her heart that belonged with him.

"Yeah," he nodded giving her a sincere smile.

She decided to change the subject before things moved into unchartered territory. "So when do you return to the streets?"

He laughed at her attempt to lighten the mood. "Anxious to work with me again?"

"Just curious," she answered nonchalantly. _Yes! Of course I'm anxious, nervous, excited…_

"I'm back on the streets tomorrow," he said.

"Well then we should probably call it a night. I don't want to get in trouble for keeping you out too late," she said as she started to get up off the couch.

He got up too and took a step closer to her. They were standing only inches apart. He held her gaze until she turned her face up to look at him. He looked deep into her eyes and was surprised when she didn't shy away. He gently brushed away the locks of hair that had fallen in front of her eye and tucked them behind her ear.

"I missed you while I was away," he whispered shifting his gaze in between her eyes and her lips.

She inhaled sharply and swallowed deeply before admitting, "I missed you too."

They stood there for what felt like an eternity lost in each other's eyes. No words were needed to convey their feelings at that moment.

"So I guess I'll be seeing you around," she said breaking the silence.

He took a step back. "Yep, you'll definitely be seeing me around." he said calmly though she could see the heat in his eyes.

She walked him out and leaned against her door watching him walk to his truck. When he got in he gave her an affectionate grin and waved before driving off.

She closed the door and leaned her back against it rubbing her hands over her face and through her hair. Tonight had gone well. Maybe him going away was the best thing that could have happened for them. She knew they couldn't completely forget the past, disregard how they left things, but maybe a fresh start was exactly what they needed. She wasn't sure where she and Sam were going to go from here. Obviously there was a lot they still needed to talk about. One thing she was sure of though, was that those feelings that had lain dormant for the last six months were now very much alive.

* * *

_So I know this convo was pretty mild. Things will heat up though. I felt that they needed this first. Things are only just beginning. Anyway, let me know what you guys think!_


	5. Chapter 5

Nope, I do not own Rookie Blue.

Here's chapter 5! I hope you guys enjoy it and as always, please let me know what you think!

* * *

Sam couldn't help but smile as his alarm sounded. Today was his first day back on the job. He couldn't wait to get back on the streets. His assignment had taken him away from Toronto and he had actually missed the hustle and bustle of the city.

He got up, showered, grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed into the station. He recognized the bounce in his step and realized that it probably wasn't only because it was his first day back. He was going to get to work with Andy today. Frank had asked him yesterday if he wanted to continue working with a partner and he had said yes right away. He actually had to back track and explain how good of a team they made in order to keep Frank from getting suspicious.

After parade ended he headed out to the cruiser to wait for her. He leaned against the driver's side door and thought about the conversation they had the night before. It had gone well. He was able to control himself and for that he was proud. When he showed up on her doorstep to talk, he half expected her to be upset with him. After all, he did up and leave after she begged him not to. But he knew she understood. He didn't have a choice. God knows if he would have he would have never left her. He was glad they were able to talk casually. He could feel the tension in the room, but that was to be expected. They had been apart for a long time and it was going to take a while for them to get back to where they were before he left. Today would be the first step in that journey. Nothing like ten hours stuck in a car with someone to melt the ice.

"Good morning," he said as she walked towards the cruiser.

"Good morning, you're in a good mood," she said noticing the smile that was plastered on his face.

He nodded, "Yep, who would've thought I'd actually miss the streets of Toronto?"

"So I guess there's no chance you'll let me drive today," she said already knowing the answer.

"Ha ha, not a chance, McNally," he said laughing at the fact that she would even ask.

"You ready?" he asked her as he turned to open his car door.

"Yep, let's go," she said smiling at how excited he seemed to be about getting back at work.

"So where to?" she asked as he pulled the cruiser into traffic.

"Frist, to get coffee. We have a long day ahead of us," he said glancing over at her and giving her his signature grin.

As he pulled into the coffee shop she started to get out of the car. "No, McNally, you sit, I got this one," he said as he turned off the car and unbuckled his seatbelt.

Andy obeyed his command and sat back in the car. She let out a little laugh to herself at the thought of the two of them working together again. If someone would have asked her two days ago if would be possible, her answer would have been no. But after last night, and so far this morning, things seemed to be working out nicely. But the day was young and they still hadn't discussed the way they left things. Yeah they'd had some nice casual conversation, but they had yet to get to the real stuff.

Sam got into the car and handed her a coffee. He took a sip of his own before putting it in the cup holder and starting up the car. He glanced over at her as she took a sip.

As she sipped she let out a sigh of satisfaction. "You remembered," she said as she smiled over at him. She liked her coffee a very specific way. It didn't surprise her that he remembered how she liked it. He was smart and she knew he paid attention regardless of whether he would admit it or not. It was nice to know that he cared about the little things.

"Of course I did. McNally, I wasn't gone for that long," he said back to her slightly surprised that she thought he wouldn't remember.

"Yeah, I guess," she said looking out her window. _You were gone for too long._

The day went by pretty smoothly. Not a whole lot happened. They had responded to one report of breaking and entering and one for a domestic dispute, but both had turned out alright. The day, for the most part, consisted of them catching up on what had gone down at the station while he was away. Andy told him about the rest of the rookies and what they had been up to. She told him about some of the cases she had helped solve now that she could actually remember what she had done for the last six months. He told her what he could about his undercover assignment. He knew he shouldn't tell her anything but he wanted her to know what he had been up to while he was gone.

As they pulled the car into the parking lot at the station they both let out a sigh of relief. It had been a good day, a day they both needed, but it was also long. They were both ready to get away from work.

"So are you going to head to the Penny tonight?" he asked her as they walked into the station.

"I think so yeah. I could use a drink. You?" she asked him.

"Yep, I'll be there," he said as he smiled over at her.

She smiled back not really knowing what to say. "Okay well I guess I'll see you there," she said as she walked up to the women's locker room.

"Okay, see you there," he returned nodding his head as he said it.

She didn't know if anyone could notice, but the sexual tension between the two of them could be cut with a knife. Probably something much duller than a knife at this point. _God damnit, this has got to stop. Enough is enough_, she thought as she walked up to her locker and threw her bag on the bench. They were still dancing around their feelings. Having conversations that were laced with flirtation, giving glances that were held too long. It had to stop. They needed to talk and they needed to talk soon.

**_

* * *

_**

"Hey Swarek, Best wants to see you," Dov said as he walked into the locker room.

"Alright, I'll be right there," he said putting on the last pieces of his uniform. He had no idea why Best wanted to see him.

He walked up to his office and knocked on the door before poking his head in. "You wanted to see me?" he asked before stepping in.

"Yeah, take a seat," Best returned not looking up from the file he was reading.

"What's this about?" Sam asked as he sat down.

"How'd your first day back go yesterday?" he asked putting the file back in order.

"It went well. Nothing too exciting," Sam answered wondering what was with the small talk.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Listen Sam, I want you to help out on a case that has just opened up," he said assertively.

Okay," Sam said nodding his head signaling for more information.

"Do you remember a year or so ago when you arrested a man for allegedly murdering his wife? But we had no solid proof so we couldn't pin it on him," Best informed him.

"Yeah I remember, that son of a bitch was never charged," Sam said with a hint of disgust in his voice.

"Exactly. Well Detective Erico is working on a case where that same man is the leading suspect. I want you to work with her. Fill her in on what happened a year ago. I don't want this guy getting away again. She will fill you in on the rest of the information later," Best said as he handed Sam the file he had been looking at.

"Yes, sir. I'll do everything I can to lock that scumbag up once and for all," Sam said as he stood up.

"Good. She's in her office. You should head over there now and get started," Best said as he walked Sam out the door.

Sam excited the office and headed down the hallway. He opened the file and began reading it. He was startled when he heard her voice.

"Hey, you ready to go?" Andy asked as she walked up to him.

At first she had no idea what she meant. Then he realized that she had no idea that he had been assigned to help out with the case. "No I actually just came from Best's office. He wants me to help Detective Erico with an investigation she is working on. You're on your own today," he said closing the file and stopping in front of her.

"Oh, why you?" she asked. She hoped he couldn't sense the disappointment in her voice. She had been looking forward to riding with him today. Throughout the night she had built up the courage to finally talk to him and she was hoping to test the waters during their shift today.

"I was the original arresting officer of the lead suspect a year ago. Best wants me to tell her what I can remember and assist her if I can," he said.

"Okay, I guess I'll see you later," Andy said as he smiled back and walked off. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but whatever it was, she didn't like it. She knew she was disappointed but there was something else creeping in too. She definitely wasn't fond of the thought of him working with someone else.

**_

* * *

_**

The day turned out to be pretty slow. Andy and Traci were assigned to work a speed trap and had spent the entire day issuing tickets to people who insisted they couldn't read speed limit signs. When the two of them got back to the barn Andy told Traci she would take care of the paperwork so she could go pick up Leo.

A few hours and two cups of coffee later she finished the paperwork. Never again would she offer to do all the paperwork from speeding tickets. Despite the coffee she was exhausted and ready to go home and curl up in bed. She cleared off her desk and headed to the locker room. She changed pretty quickly forgoing on a shower and headed out the door.

The station was fairly empty. As she walked out of the locker room she was distracted by the sound of laughter coming from one of the conference rooms. Normally she would ignore it but she recognized one of the voices. She headed toward the conference room and immediately regretted her decision. The door was cracked and through it she saw Sam and Detective Erico eating Chinese while joking and laughing about something.

Yeah, that feeling she felt earlier that she couldn't really describe was definitely jealousy. She knew she had no right to feel the way she did at seeing the two of them together. She had no claim to him. He could do what he wanted. But she wanted to be the one he was eating Chinese with. She wanted to be the one he was laughing and joking with. She couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't made a move yet. She had made it pretty clear that she and Luke had broken up months ago. She couldn't figure out what was stopping him.

She quietly backed away from the cracked door before either one of them could see her. She needed to figure out what she wanted. She was sick of dodging the issue with him.

She sat on her couch with a glass in her hand. She wasn't drunk. She had been drinking, but only to help her think. She hadn't come to any kind of conclusion. She knew she wanted Sam. She had always wanted him, that was never the issue. Her fear, now that was the issue. An issue that was even more prevalent than before since now she knew what it felt like to have him leave her. Why couldn't she just man up? Take a risk. Why must she be so afraid of getting her heart broken?

She knew sleep was out of the question with thoughts like these running through her head. It was almost midnight and she had to work the next morning, but there was no way she was going to get any sleep. She had so many questions and concerns. She wanted answers but was too afraid to go out and get them. She took another sip of her drink. _Liquid courage, s_he thought as she downed what was left of the glass and walked to her kitchen. She stood there for a moment, staring down at the sink, before she grabbed her keys and headed out her door.

* * *

She had practically jogged over to his apartment. She was panting as she walked up to his door. She rang the doorbell without giving herself time to hesitate. She was going to do it. They were going to talk.

"Hey," she said as he opened the door. He must have been sleeping since he was only wearing a pair of pajama pants.

"McNally, we have got to stop showing up at each other's doors like this," he said jokingly as he stepped aside to let her in.

She didn't say anything back to that. She walked into his living room and waited for him. "So how are things going with Detective Erico?" she asked when he walked through the doorway.

"Uh, fine. We're just piecing together evidence," he said through examining eyes.

"Good. I'm glad you guys are working together so well," she said not being able to help the tone it came out in.

Sam let out a laugh and smiled before saying," You're jealous." It wasn't a question. He was stating the obvious.

"What? No I'm not," she returned.

"Yeah you are. I can hear it in your voice," he said back. He was enjoying this a little too much.

She hesitated not knowing what to say next. She decided to be honest. "Okay fine. Maybe I am."

Sam sighed and took a step closer to her. "McNally, you have nothing to be jealous about. We are just working on a case," he said with his eyes locked on hers.

"Yeah," she said quietly as she nodded and looked around the room.

"Where is this coming from?" he asked squinting his eyes in confusion.

"I don't know. I saw the two of you earlier, eating in the conference room and it just…," she hesitated.

"Made you feel something?" he finished raising his eyebrows.

She stood there for a moment thinking about what he was asking her. "You just left," she said before realizing what she had said.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

She took a deep breath. "You just left. To go back undercover. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me without you?" she said in a tone that was much more desperate than she would have like it to be.

His face softened as he realized what she was talking about. "You're a great cop, Andy. I knew you'd be fine without me. I would have never left if I didn't believe that."

"I know. It's just I hated knowing that you were out there somewhere and I had no way to contact you. I thought about you all the time and I realize that's stupid because obviously you were fine and busy working…," she started but was cut off before she could finish.

"Damnit, McNally. You think I didn't think about you too? You're all I thought about while I was away. Every single day I thought about you," he explained through burning eyes.

He continued. "Nothing's changed for me. I still feel this," he said motioning with his hand between the two of them. "Whatever this is. And I know you still feel it too," he said stepping closer to her. If she came over to talk then he was going to talk. He was done messing around and acting as if nothing was going on. They went down that route and it got them nowhere. It was time they were both honest with each other. He knew that in order for her to be honest with him, in order for her to open up, he would have to go first.

"Sam I…," she started before being cut off again.

He held up a hand to stop her from talking. " No, let me finish. Andy, listen to me. I love you. I am in love with you. I should have told you this months ago," he said with a sigh.

"Why didn't you?" she asked.

"I don't know. You were with Callaghan and then I left and I didn't want to leave and drop something like that on you. But Andy, it's true. I love everything about you. I love how you truly care about other people. I love how you try to see the good in everyone. I love how you're there for your dad no matter how much it hurts. I…," he began but was cut off by her.

"Sam. Sam, now you need to shut up," she said placing her fingers against his lips. "I love you too," she laughed through teary eyes. "I love you."

He let out a huge breath he didn't know he was holding. "Yeah?" he asked searching her eyes.

"Yes," she said scooting closer to him. She placed both her hands on his face. "I love you. I know what it's like to live without you and that's something I never want to have to do again. I want you, all of you, for the rest of my life. When I begged you not to leave, I meant what I said. I do need you," she finished looking deep into his eyes. She was done shying away. She had finally built up the courage to fight for what she wanted and she wasn't going to back down.

He smiled against her lips and rubbed his nose against hers. "If only you knew how badly I have wanted to hear you say that," he said laughing lightly.

"If only you knew how badly I have wanted to say that," she returned wrapping her arms around his neck.

She grabbed some of his hair and tilted his head up so she could look into his eyes. After a moment she couldn't wait any longer. She brought her lips to his and kissed him passionately. She pulled him close and held her lips against his in one single kiss until she needed air. They both took a deep breath before continuing to kiss each other. Not only did he kiss her lips, but also her cheek and her neck. He pulled away again to look into her eyes. He wanted to make sure he didn't see any fear or regret in them. When he didn't he placed a kiss on her lips and pulled her into the most passionate hug he had ever given anyone. He finally had her in his arms. She was finally ready to be in his arms. He was never going to let her go.

* * *

_The End! Thoughts? I really hope you guys liked it!_


End file.
